The Babysitting Woes Of A Vampire
by obviouslyincognito
Summary: Larten Crepsley never wanted to be a father figure to anyone, and yet the job always seemed to fall to him.
1. Responsibility?

**This will likely be a series of oneshots, based on Larten's role as a father figure that he always seemed to end up with, most likely featuring both Gavner and Darren. **

**Reviews would be appreciated :)**

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It was a freezing winter's day. The sky was an icy, deceptive blue, and harsh winds whipped across the vast expanse of frost covered fields. For miles, all that could be seen was the glistening grass, the odd lonely tree, clusters of shivering sheep, and a single deserted hut from which a piercing sound was drifting from, disturbing the peace of the countryside.

Larten Crepsley was one of two occupants of the tiny, dilapidated building. He was huddled in a shadowy corner, trying to avoid the weak rays of sun that leaked in through the cracks in the rotting walls and ceiling. Cape pulled over his head, the thoroughly exhausted vampire was trying in vain to get the precious moments of sleep that had been impossible for months. This was due to the second occupant of the hut, the baby Gavner Purl, who had been left bundled up in a crate lined with blankets on the furthest side of the room. The baby was the bane of Larten's life-when he wasn't screaming, being sick (usually on the vampire's shoulder) or crying, he was snoring, making a sound like demonic lawn-mower. Currently, the insufferable infant was treating Larten and the traumatised sheep in the vicinity to a fierce tantrum, apparently unimpressed with being dumped in a crate for the day.

His vampire guardian had tried his best to ignore the demanding wails, but as the torturous day progressed into late afternoon, he finally snapped. Throwing his cape off himself forcefully, he sat up and glowered at the boy through black-rimmed, bloodshot eyes.

"What do you WANT?" he hissed through clenched teeth, as if he would get an explanation. The only response he gained was a particularly shrill shriek, and Larten grabbed his hair in frustration, practically trembling from the effort of not pulling it out. A lack of sleep could unhinge the most level headed of people, which Larten was not. He was extremely close to breaking point.

Since leaving Greenland, the euphoria of having escaped a miserable death had steadily faded, and been replaced by the horrifying realisation that he was now responsible for a child. Larten could barely handle his own life, and had no interest in guiding another. Unfortunately, whenever he tried to pass Gavner on to someone else, he was met with little interest-a few older women had come close to accepting, only to be stopped by their vaguely hysterical husbands, who Larten didn't blame in the slightest. So, he had been forced to endure what could only be described as the most drawn out and cruel torture that nature had to offer.

He had tried everything to pacify the baby. He had bought and carted around a variety of 'essential baby products'-bottles, blankets, toys-and reaped no reward. His life was testing, and Gavner didn't appreciate the environment and wasn't to be distracted from his distress. The only thing that stopped his crying fits was Larten allowing him to sleep beside him, but the problem with this solution was that this meant the snoring seemed even louder. Occasionally, in his own moments of insatiable annoyance, Larten had left Gavner outside his sleeping quarters to try and provide some distance. He was normally only able to leave the baby alone for a few minutes before guilt compelled him to take him back inside, muttering darkly all the way.

He was, quite bluntly, going insane.

"This," Larten growled as he reluctantly got up for what seemed like the millionth time in a single week, "is why vampires do not have children."

He had decided that vampires being unable to have children was in fact the greatest gift that had been given to the clan, and cursed his luck for being the only vampire to be saddled with a messy, clingy, miniature person that's purpose seemed to be to drain the life from him.

At the crate, Larten reached in and scooped up the wriggling, hollering bundle and held him while shifting from one foot to the other in a manner that had soothed Gavner in the past. He continued this action, zombie-like, for another five minutes before the baby's screams died off into silence. Suspicious, Larten didn't get his hopes up, certain that the cries would recommence. They didn't. Gavner only sniffled softly, and buried his head in the mans shoulder.

The smallest of smiles tugged at Larten's lips. He was about to return the boy to his makeshift bed, but changed his mind. Instead, he returned to the corner of the hut and settled down to sleep with the baby beside him. Gavner did snore that day, but Larten was so tired that he was asleep before they started and wasn't roused until late the next night.

Gavner couldn't help but snore, but never cried when Larten allowed him to stay close. No number of toys or blankets could compare to the reassuring embrace that the orange haired man could offer, and if Gavner had to screech until the sun began to set to be relieved of his neglect, then so be it.


	2. No Blood And No Broccoli

**Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter! **

**I don't think these oneshots will be in any sort of chronological order, so you can probably expect more of Gavner at some point.**

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In the few days since Darren had reluctantly left his home, he had been completely and consistently miserable. He rarely said anything, and when he did it was as if he was forcing the words out of his mouth, and even then they were often tinted with a poisonous, burning hatred for the vampire. This should have concerned Larten-he knew the strength of the temptation for revenge all too well-but a part of him almost wanted Darren to stake him in the day. Because when he didn't sound vengeful and hateful, he sounded broken and terrified.

Then, one night, an event occurred that Larten would often look back on with amusement and a warmth without quite realising why for some time.

The vampire and assistant were sitting in an abandoned pub (it was simple to open the locked door, and the torn, aging posters advertising sales and local plays pasted across the windows offered some protection from the sunlight).

Darren was sitting on a dusty bar stool, his legs dangling in the air-he couldn't quite reach the bar meant to support his feet-with a scowl on his face. The scowl was directed at Larten, who was kneeling on the floor, stoking a fire underneath the pot for dinner.

Larten knew the boy was glaring at him, but ignored him and started dicing carrots. The truth was, he had absolutely know idea how to deal with him. Gavner had been young and eager to please when under his care, and as he began to enter a more stroppy stage Alicia had been there to deal with it. On the rare occasion that he had thrown a tantrum, it had been a simple matter to send him to what had been dubbed the 'naughty corner' until he calmed down. If Larten tried to send Darren to any form of naughty corner he strongly suspected that it would be enough to finally push Darren over the edge. He was closer to Malora's age, but as a former assistant to Evanna she had been wise and mature for her years.

So, Larten made the decision to take no notice of his assistant's anger and continue making the stew without glancing up. At least, he wanted to. At the tenth angry sigh from Darren, he turned to return the spiteful look.

"Darren," he growled irritably, "I understand that you wanted to purchase a potted noodle from the shop that we passed, but we are vampires. You must learn not to depend on the service of humans for food. Away from civilization, you would have to hunt and cook for yourself. It is a skill you must learn, and something you must become resigned to."

"But we aren't away from civilization," Darren snapped in retaliation. "And it's not a _potted noodle_," he added scathingly, as if this useless fact would hurt Larten deeply. "It's a _Pot Noodle_."

"Whatever it is, it is human rubbish that I doubt has enough nutrients to satisfy an ant."

"Well, I like it!" Darren growled, and Larten realised to late that he had allowed himself to be deliberately baited into an argument that had been brewing for some time. "I like Pot Noodles. I like chocolate. I like 'human rubbish' and I'm not going to give it up just because I was forced into becoming a stupid half-vampire!"

"Well, tough, because you are going to."

"But-"

"Enough!" Larten snapped. "I have endured enough of your whining. Do as I say, and come down here and learn how to cook proper food for yourself."

"You can't-"

"Darren!"

The two glowered at each other in a standoff. After a few moments, Darren snorted in disgust and unwillingly hopped off the stool. He sat down by the pot and shot Larten a very bitter look. If Larten had looked at Seba like that, he would have earned himself a smack around the back of the head. Instead, Larten chucked Darren the potato peeler a little more angrily than he would have otherwise. He should have punished him more harshly for his attitude, but he was conflicted. On the one hand, he had been wrong to blood Darren and had most likely caused him hurt and trauma that would plague him for the rest of his life. On the other, Darren was behaving like an insufferable brat.

They began preparing the meal in silence. With each potato he peeled, Darren appeared less and less enraged, and after potato number six he even had a flicker of shame on his face.

"Done," he stated after the final potato had lost its skin, putting the peeler aside and pushing the potatoes towards Larten.

"Thank you."

They had both calmed down considerably, and as Darren checked the fire, Larten allowed himself to feel pleased with how he had handled the situation.

Then, of course, everything drastically went wrong.

Darren happened to look up from the fire as Larten scooped up some other vegetables to drop in the pot, and a look of pure horror crossed his face. Before Larten could drop in the vegetables, he hurriedly covered the pot's opening with his hand.

"No!" he protested, looking absolutely and inexplicably stricken. Larten blinked at him, dumbstruck.

"What is wrong?"

"I don't eat broccoli."

"...I beg your pardon?"

"I don't eat broccoli!" Darren repeated, giving the green, tree-like vegetable a revolted look. "It's disgusting."

"It is good for you."

"It's evil."

"Darren, broccoli is not evil."

But Darren was still looking at the broccoli as if it was the most horrifying thing he had ever seen in his life. He even looked a bit sick as he shook his head. "No, not broccoli. I can handle not eating Pot Noodles anymore, but I won't eat broccoli. I hate it."

Larten had to stifle a laugh, guessing that it would not be taken well. "So you want me to throw the broccoli away? What a waste. I happen to like it."

"Just you have it then!"

"I do not understand your passionate hatred for what is essentially a harmless vegetable."

"I just don't like it! I don't like the taste, I don't like how it looks, and when I was five I choked on this piece of broccoli and-"

"You are afraid of broccoli?" This time, he was unable to stop himself from laughing and Darren went bright red.

"I'm not afraid of it! It's just something I'd rather not eat." Darren looked glum. "I never normally eat it. Can't you just leave it out of the stupid stew?"

It was strange, but Larten had the feeling that Darren's misery was about more than just broccoli and Pot Noodles. Perhaps the Pot Noodle represented the carefree human life he had left behind, and the broccoli change and Larten's lack of understanding. Or maybe Larten was beginning to go insane and finding symbolism in broccoli.

But he gave in all the same, and left the broccoli. Darren seemed to appreciate his mercy, and was nothing but polite to the vampire for the remainder of the night. Again, Larten offered him blood, but he declined quietly and slunk off to scribble in his diary, most likely writing the tale of the dreaded broccoli in detail.

That day he didn't complain about how uncomfortable it was to sleep without a bed, or how hard it was to sleep in the day. He didn't stay awake staring at the ceiling (Larten had caught him doing this many times) and the next night was almost friendly.

He didn't even say anything cheeky when Larten relented and bought him a small bar of chocolate from a petrol station's shop in the middle of nowhere. A little consideration and understanding could go a long way, which was difficult for Larten to give as Darren had the nerve to give him round, pleading puppy eyes for a Mars bar after he had just given him a piggyback ride across half the country.


	3. Double Trouble Part 1

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter :)**

**This chapter is set during book four, and the trip to vampire mountain will be written in two halves, so this is just part one. **

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The trip to the mountain was going to be extremely taxing, that was for sure. Larten partly thought this because of the disturbing scene they had found of vampire blood splattered walls, but mostly because he was now travelling with not one but two companions that seemed determined to go out of their way to get into trouble.

After nearly decapitating Gavner upon his 'greeting', the vampires had set up camp and were settling for the day. Darren had gone off in a strop to fill their canteens, and Gavner and Larten had been left, alone aside from the silent Little People that Gavner was eyeing suspiciously.

"There's something funny about this," he decided. "Why would Desmond Tiny send them with you for protection? Why would he bother? It just doesn't make sense."

"No," Larten agreed. Gavner raised his eyebrows.

"Why do you think he sent them?"

"I think..." Larten sighed. "I think it is something to do with Darren."

"Darren?" Gavner frowned. "What do you mean?"

Larten paused. He thought about the interest the meddler had taken in the boy, the way he regarded him with the sort of savage pleasure a man would watch a public execution with, waiting with gleeful anticipation for the drop. He thought about the number of Little People that had flocked to the Cirque around the time Darren had been blooded. He thought about the miseries that he had already endured, and Desmond Tiny's hint that he had dangerous times ahead.

Larten knew why the Little People were with them-to keep Darren alive, if he should fail to protect him. But why?

The second he had asked himself the question-which had been some time prior to this conversation-he had known the answer with a sickening twist of his stomach. He had remembered hurling himself towards death in Greenland, only to be dragged back. Since then, he had endured a lot of suffering, more than he had thought he could ever come back from. Desmond Tiny thrived on suffering. He would not let the damned vampire euthanize and save himself from what was to come, and sat back to watch the dreaded drop. And now he was guiding Darren towards the noose.

But Larten didn't tell Gavner this. They were already shaken by the discovery of the murdered vampire, there was no point in adding more useless worry.

Instead, he said simply, "I think he wants to help him. As a half-vampire, the journey is more arduous."

"But why?" Gavner pressed, and Larten shrugged.

"Where Desmond Tiny is concerned, who knows? Perhaps merely because he can and it makes him feel powerful."

Gavner didn't look convinced, and Larten was reminded that he was now a man and a General, not a child that could be so wishful and ignorant as to believe in Santa Claus or a helpful Desmond Tiny. However, he also knew better than to attempt to pry more information and opinions from him, and changed the subject.

"So what's Darren like then?" he asked, switching to a more casual topic. "Do you think he can handle the clan?"

"I do," Larten said honestly. "In the past he has proved himself to be brave, stubborn and woefully foolish. I expect him to excel."

Gavner snorted at the barbed compliment, an amused grin on his face. "And how is he as an assistant?"

"Often insufferable. But I am managing."

"He calls you Mr Crepsley."

"Yes."

Gavner chuckled. "That's cute. Did you ask him to address you that way?"

"No. He has always called me that. I no longer think anything of it."

Gavner grinned mischievously. "I think you like it. It makes you feel like you're in charge."

"I am in charge."

"And you never told him to call you Larten? Even after, what, eight years?"

"It would seem odd after so long," Larten admitted truthfully, then scowled at the strangely smug look on Gavner's face. "What?" he growled.

"Nothing. I just think it's cute."

"_Cute_," Larten echoed, his voice full of distaste, then shook his head. As the topic came to a natural end, another one that he had grimly been preparing for loomed like the grey snow clouds above them.

Gavner coughed tactfully, signalling its beginning, and Larten immediately tensed.

"I wanted to ask you this last time I saw you," he said cautiously, "but there were more pressing matters at the time, so I'll ask now. Why did you turn down the Princes? And what..." He looked awkward. "What happened to Wester?"

"I do not wish to discuss it."

"But-"

"My reasons are no concern of yours," Larten lied, but Gavner didn't let it go.

"People have been speculating."

"I am sure they have," Larten muttered bitterly. Then he added, "Have you spoken to Seba?"

"Not for a while. Most of what I've heard has been through the grapevine. I haven't had much to do with the clan for the past few years."

"Oh really? Why not?"

Gavner shifted uncomfortably. "No particular reason. I just fancied a break."

Larten chose to ignore his obvious lie. The two of them sat there in the shadows, each deceiving the other to save reopening old wounds that would always be present as ugly scars.

They prepared for bed in silence, and then Gavner said suddenly, "It's good to be back, isn't it?"

"It is."

"A lot's changed since you were last here. Did you know Kurda's going to become a Prince?"

Larten looked up from arranging his blankets in surprise. "Kurda Smahlt?" he checked in disbelief.

"Yep. I think he hopes to bring about some big changes."

Larten sniffed primly. "Change is not always good."

"But it can be. He's keen to make peace with the vampaneze and unite the clans." Gavner watched Larten closely for a reaction, but he seemed to be paying very little attention, already pulling the blankets over himself. "What do you think of that?"

"I think that the current arrangement between the clans is a fragile one, and any attempt to tamper with it should be executed with caution."

"But do you think Kurda should?"

"No," Larten said, rolling over so he faced away from Gavner. "The situation is acceptable as it is. We are better off leaving the vampaneze to their own devices."

Gavner blinked at him in surprise. "You've changed your tune."

Larten didn't answer. Sensing that any further attempts to get the vampire to open up wouldn't bode well for him, Gavner gave in and settled down under the blankets himself. He fell asleep quickly, but Larten was slower, staring into space and anxiously going over his words. It wasn't until he caught Darren's scent and approaching footsteps nearby that he fell asleep, dreaming of warring vampaneze and vampires until he was awoken later in the day by Darren as he furiously protected the wolves that he had typically acquired.

* * *

"No...seriously?"

"Yeah. And once, he..."

Larten glared furiously at Darren and Gavner, who were sitting in the corner of the cave and having a conversation that varied from whispers to sudden exclamations or bursts of laughter. Often, they shot glances his way, snickering. Larten didn't know what Gavner was saying about him, and didn't want to. He trusted him not to reveal anything about his dark past, but it seemed that Gavner had found plenty to tell Darren all the same.

By the third night with the duo, he was considering leaving them and taking his own route. As well as Gavner and Darren's gossiping, there was the added issue of his sleep being disturbed once again.

Gavner hadn't really snored too badly until the second day, when his rumblings were so loud that they could have caused an avalanche. Larten had given up on sleep and gone to find food, returning to see Darren sitting bolt upright, his expression a combination of exhausted and shocked as he looked down at Gavner, eyes ringed with dark circles.

"You weren't exaggerating," he had said in horror. "That's just...that's medically impossible!"

"Unfortunately not," Larten had replied gloomily.

"How much further is it to the mountain?" Darren had asked desperately, thinking over the prospect of more sleepless, tortured days.

"Too far."

On the rare occasion that he did get to sleep, he was often woken up by the bothersome wolf cub, which seemed to enjoy jumping on him around mid-afternoon or rubbing its nose in his face.

On that third night, he had woken up to the cub wriggling under the blankets so it was nestled between him and Darren. It was Darren's fault; he had encouraged the cub, sometimes putting an arm around it to hug it closer. Now awake, he was painfully aware of the snoring, and after trying to get back to sleep for an hour he admitted defeat and sat up, rubbing his face wearily.

The male wolf, christened Streak, was also awake and alert, standing guard over the slumbering she-wolves that surrounded them. At the sound of Larten rustling the blankets, his ears pricked up and he wandered over to investigate. Sensing the older wolf approaching, the cub leapt up, suddenly wide awake, and rushed over to greet him. Larten felt sorry for the adult wolf as the cub leapt up at him playfully, yapping joyfully until Streak snapped at him in warning. Streak ushered the cub (Rudi, Larten remembered with a small amount of disapproval but mostly amusement) towards the rest of the pack, grabbing him when he tried to scamper back to Darren and settling him down. He allowed the cub to cuddle up beside him, covering him with a paw so he couldn't escape.

With even Streak asleep, Larten lay back down and tried to ignore the snoring. He was close to drifting off when Darren suddenly flinched and twisted the blankets, frowning in his sleep, obviously having a bad dream. Probably mistaking it for Rudi in his sleep, Darren grabbed Larten's arm and rolled over, curling up as whatever event that had disturbed him in his dreams passed.

On the other side of the cave, Rudi batted at Streak's tail. The older wolf growled irritably.

Larten sighed, resigned to a long night. Still, despite Gavner snoring in his ear and Darren's fidgeting, when he finally fell asleep he did so with the smallest of smiles on his face.


	4. Part 2

**There'll probably be one or two more chapters after this, and then the end. Sorry for the wait, it took longer to write than expected.**

**Thank you all for the reviews so far, it's always good to have feedback :) I'm thinking of bringing in some more characters next, Steve will almost definitely make an appearance. **

**This is set shortly after they discovered signs of a vampaneze, and will be familiar as it mostly goes into more detail of events briefly touched on in the books. **

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"Would you please attempt to breathe in a manner that is less like that of a bull?" Larten hissed out through gritted teeth.

"I'm trying! I can't help it!" came Gavner's whispered, irritated reply. "What do you want me to do, stop breathing?"

The older vampires were searching through a series of cliff top tunnels, and were currently inside one that was such a tight squeeze that they had to walk doubled over, heads grazing the rocky ceiling. Both were extremely twitchy as they looked for signs of the vampaneze, and despite Streak (who was with them to aid the search) showing no signs of sensing any nearby threats, they couldn't help but half expect a vampaneze to leap out at them every time they turned a corner.

"I am beginning to wish I had left you with Darren," Larten grumbled, pushing one of the many cobwebs that had appeared as they entered a deeper, drier series of tunnels out of his face. "We are supposed to be moving with as much stealth as possible."

"I'm not that bad." Gavner flinched as he walked directly into the path of one of the cobwebs and a spider landed on his face. Following the shocked breath he had sucked in, unwittingly breathing in the cobwebs, he sneezed loudly. The sound seemed to ricochet off the walls, sounding more like a volcanic eruption in the tense silence.

"Oh for..." Larten swore and halted, listening to see if they had alerted any vampanze that might have been near to their presence. After a few anxious minutes, there was still nothing but the silence. Even Gavner, he noted, appeared to be holding his breath to avoid making a noise.

Deciding it was safe to proceed, Larten moved swiftly on, Streak trotting along beside him. However, the next time they rounded a corner, they encountered a dead end.

"We've been at this for hours and found nothing," Gavner said, regarding the empty, fruitless tunnel with a mixture of disappointment and relief. "Perhaps we should go back. The area seems safe enough."

"We will check the other connecting tunnels we saw on our way in and then leave," Larten decided. "Just to be certain."

Gavner nodded in agreement. Without another word, they made their way back through the twisting maze of tunnels, more relaxed than the first time around.

They walked briskly, and soon reached the opening to the first, wide tunnel that connected to the others. It turned off in two different directions, only one of which they had explored. The second tunnel, however, seemed small and cramped, and had the look of one that would gradually become much too small and rocky to hold a vampanze further on. It wouldn't take long to scout around in it, and Gavner-who disliked the cramped tunnels- was hopeful to be back at the cave they were resting in within less than an hour. They weren't far away from it, but high up on the cliff side. The way down was steep, but they could move quickly enough if they tried.

Larten was also keen to get back, but for different reasons. While their thorough search of the area had so far revealed no hint of danger, he still wasn't at ease, and was uncomfortable with leaving Darren without them for too long. It was necessary to make sure the way was safe before they moved on, but at the same time Larten felt as if they were sitting ducks.

They were about to reluctantly enter the tunnel, its damp walls glittering in the moonlight, when Streak unexpectedly ran to the point where the tunnels opened out onto the cliff face. He stood at the entrance, his body rigid and ears standing straight with intense concentration.

Gavner shot a look at Larten, and they went to stand by the wolf.

"Do you think he's heard a vampaneze?" Gavner asked, but before Larten could reply, Streak released a piercing whine. He took an urgent step forwards, staring straight out towards the distance, ears twitching. A few moments later, a low growl ripped from his throat, followed by a bark.

"I think he can hear something."

The vampires went right to the front of the entrance, and strained their ears for sounds in the night. After a few uncertain seconds, the sounds of distant barks and yaps of panic reached them. Then, a faint, enraged roar that couldn't belong to a wolf.

Reacting before Gavner and Larten, Streak snarled and leapt down, bounding down the cliff and sending rocks and ice scattering in every direction.

"That's a bear," Gavner said nervously. "And the wolves, it sounds like fighting. Darren-"

Larten had already raced after Streak without waiting for Gavner to finish, who quickly followed.

Rocks and ice made the way back treacherous, and Gavner wasn't as fast as Larten so ended up a little way behind. Both stumbled, tripping forwards as well as running, and Gavner slipped and skidded downwards, catching up with the Larten but picking up a lot of scrapes in the process.

Larten was running with single minded determination, not quite matching the pace of Streak (who was built for the terrain) but coming close. He had lost a lot of people in his life, and had no intention of losing anymore. Seized by desperation, flitting briefly crossed his mind, but the suggestion was met with a fiery, deep rooted opposition. He was conflicted for a few painful moments before realising that the uneven ground they were currently on wouldn't be suitable for flitting anyway.

So they continued at a frustrating pace, only able to sprint at full speed when they came closer to where they had set up base. They smashed branches out of the way and burst into the small clearing beside the cave, gasping for breath and with their hearts in the mouths.

The sight they were greeted with made them come to an abrupt, stunned stop.

The snow was splattered in various places with blood and churned up as a result of what looked like a savage fight. The horrific, broken remains of one of the Little People lay on the ground, bones jutting out of the grey flesh. Close by was the body of an enormous bear, its jaws still open, frozen in an unfinished roar of agony. A bone stuck out of it as a makeshift spear. And sitting with his back against a tree, looking tired and shell shocked but most importantly alive, was Darren.

Streak hurried to check on Rudi, who was cowering on Darren's lap and shivering. The she-wolves, who had snarled warningly when Larten and Gavner had turned up, moved away from Darren and the cub, satisfied that they were no longer in danger. The second, surviving Little Person stayed stubbornly by the half-vampire's side, regarding the vampires through its bulbous green eyes that were now on show, its hood having come down.

"Bloody hell," Gavner said simply, using human slang to fittingly sum up their response to the scene.

"Hi," Darren said casually, gently pushing Streak away as he sniffed him all over, checking for injuries.

"Are you alright?" Larten asked, snapping out of his initial shock and going over to pull Darren to his feet. "We heard fighting. What happened?"

"I'm fine," Darren said, then nodded at the bear. "It attacked me."

"You killed it?"

"Yeah. It was a close call though, it nearly squashed me. The wolves and the Little People saved me, and I managed to stab it."

"He wasn't so lucky," Gavner said, glancing at the flattened Little Person. Darren followed his gaze sadly.

"He tried to help but the bear crushed him. I used one of his bones to kill it. What?" Darren asked with a puzzled frown, noticing how Gavner was staring at him as if he had just grown a second head.

"Nothing. Just...well done."

Later, reeling from the discovery of a dead vampaneze and Harkat's disturbing message, Gavner and Larten were the last two awake. Darren's sleeping form was barely visible, buried under the wolves. It was a wonder that he didn't suffocate.

Larten was deep in thought, ashen faced, going over the events of the night. It was no longer his job to come up with ideas on how to deal with the revelation of the vampaneze Lord's existence, and it was useless for him to do so, but he kept thinking back to points in his past and the clans, decisions that were never made, actions that were never taken, and glumly wondering whether the Lord would be a threat today if they had done something sooner. Vengeful and blundering though he was, perhaps Wester had had a point after all.

"I'm going to sleep," Gavner announced dully. "You should too. It's got to be midday by now."

Larten only grunted in reply, and Gavner sighed.

"This is a mess, but things might not be so bad. We're getting ahead of ourselves."

"Are we?" Larten asked cynically. "You know as well as I do what the coming of the vampaneze Lord means."

There was a pause. "Do you think there'll be a war?"

"Possibly." Larten sighed. "Most likely."

"If it's true."

Larten raised an eyebrow. "You think Desmond Tiny is lying?"

"He could be. He might just be trying to stir things up so we bring about our own downfall. We don't know."

He wouldn't say so, but Larten was impressed. Gavner was taking the whole thing in his stride, concerned but keeping his head. Larten considered him a better General than he had ever been. Gavner was able to think rationally, thinking of the present rather than pointlessly debating the past or panicking. Larten doubted he would ever go for the position of a Prince, simply because it wasn't in his nature to seek such power, but secretly couldn't be prouder of how Gavner had turned out.

By the time Council had ended, he would wish that he had told him that.

"There is some good to come of this whole thing, though," Gavner said unexpectedly.

"And what is that?"

"Once I deliver Harkat's message, the Princes will probably be more interested in that than you and Darren."

"It does not matter. I will ensure that I get the judgement I deserve."

Gavner didn't respond to that. When he had first discovered what Larten had done, he had been livid. More than that-it was as if he had been slapped in the face by something he had repressed all his life. The man he had always seen as a father figure and learnt from was greatly flawed as well as great, and seemed to vary between the two extremes. As hard as he tried to forget it, Larten had murdered his family and many others. But, after so ruthlessly shattering his life, he had stayed to pick up the pieces as best he could. Sometimes Gavner thought of him as two people, the vampire who had slaughtered many and revelled in revenge, and the one-time General who spent his life repenting.

He had blooded Darren too young, and under terrible circumstances that he had willingly explained to Gavner, full of self-loathing. He had ripped him away from his family, and cast an everlasting shadow over his life.

And still, Gavner had forgiven him. Pitied him, even, particularly when Larten asked him not to reveal anything of his past to the boy.

"He cannot learn of it," he had said seriously, as he and Gavner stood in his trailer those years ago."Not yet. In time, I will tell him myself. Tell him nothing of the vampaneze or the past."

"Why not?" Gavner had asked, not curiously, but with a note of challenge in his voice. It wasn't genuine, but a bitter part of him wanted to see the older vampire squirm despite the sympathy amongst his anger.

"He did not enter our world willingly, and is only gradually and recently beginning to accept it. I do not want him to learn any information that might cause him to attempt to take himself out of it, or give him reason to distrust and reject me as a mentor. One night, he will have to be told or find out of his own accord, but not yet."

Gavner had frowned at that. "Ignorance can be dangerous."

Larten had leant forwards, his expression grave. "The year he was blooded," he said, "he refused to drink blood. He thought it was evil. He nearly killed himself, and it is my responsibility to keep that from happening again."

So Gavner had kept his mouth shut. Darren seemed happy enough now, and informed on the vampaneze, which must have come from their dealings with Murlough. Gavner knew they had been successful in stopping the crazed vampaneze, but not the details. He hadn't mentioned it earlier (he hadn't known how much Larten wanted to say in front of Darren) but decided he might as well now the boy was asleep.

"So what happened with Murlough?" he asked outright, and Larten gave him an irritated, weary look.

"I thought you said you were going to sleep."

"I am, in a minute. I was just wondering. I never got the whole story."

Larten gave Darren a long, suspicious look, watching for signs that he was in fact awake before speaking. "We disposed of him safely, and have ensured that our interference will not be discovered."

"Where did you put the body?"

"Underground, in the sewage system. He was using it to move around the city, it seemed fitting enough."

"Was he difficult to kill?"

"It involved a lot of planning, but when the moment came it was swift."

"How-"

"Gavner," Larten interrupted with a sigh. "I do not think this a necessary discussion, certainly not at this point in the day. You may not be tired, but I am. I want to rest and clear my head."

"You know, technically, as a General I have the right to force you to tell me," Gavner pointed out. He was joking, but a fiery look of warning quickly put a stop to the subject. "Do you know, I think I might hit the hay myself," he said hastily. "Tonight's tired me out."

"Good," Larten grunted, then added sharply, "but if you snore, I am going to wake you up and you can go a day without sleep for once."

As it turned out, Larten didn't need to wake Gavner up. He was more tired than he had thought, and he fell into a deep sleep almost instantly. Before he did so, his last thought was to forget about the past and the bleak, unpromising future, and focus only on getting the three of them to the mountain in one piece, the chances of which were beginning to seem equally as bleak.

* * *

"We will have to move slowly. If we slip, we will go plummeting to our deaths."

"Now there's a cheery thought."

They were standing at the beginning of a dangerous, icy crossing that passed over the point where water came rushing out of the mountain with a menacing roar.

"Just be careful," Larten said in response to Gavner's comment, eyeing up their path. "I will go in front, then Darren, followed by you and Harkat."

"Sounds like a plan," Gavner said, then grinned at Darren, who was staring at the drop bellow the crossing in dismay. "Nervous?"

"No," Darren lied unconvincingly, and Gavner chuckled.

"I am," he admitted, then slapped him on the back encouragingly. "Don't worry-if you fall I'll grab you."

"Nobody will fall if we are sensible and take it slowly," Larten snapped, then confidently set off along the slippery path. "Come. We cannot afford to waste time."

"Now?" Darren asked in alarm, and Larten gave him an exasperated look.

"Did you expect us to wait and admire the view? Now is as good a time as any. Remember-"

"We know, be careful," Gavner said with a roll of his eyes. "None of us were exactly planning on attempting the tango up here."

They began the crossing, taking careful, tentative steps and sweating despite the cold. Larten was the first to make a mistake, minor though it was, his foot sliding away from him on the ice. For a moment he lost his balance and wobbled dangerously, but quickly regained control.

"Now, remember Larten," Gavner had said cheekily, raising his voice over the thundering water, "try to be sensible."

Larten pretended not to hear the jibe, gritting his teeth and moving onwards at a slightly faster pace than before although still very slowly. About a quarter of the way across he tested the ground ahead, finding it to be almost entirely ice, and stopped.

"We will have to form a chain," he decided, extending a hand behind him for Darren to take. "Darren, you take my hand, then Gavner's, who will take Harkat's. That way if one of us slips we can use the others for support."

For the next few minutes the going ahead was extremely difficult. Darren, unused to the journey to the mountain, had many near misses, but was supported easily by both Larten and Gavner. It wasn't until they encountered a particularly deadly spot that they were in trouble.

A sheet of sinisterly smooth ice completely covered the last stretch they had to cross, and they edged along it warily, focusing hard despite the freezing water spraying into their faces. If one of them had slipped, it wouldn't have been hard to keep them upright between two people. But, unluckily, an area of ice splashed with water proved the undoing of both Gavner and Darren. One of them might have lost their footing a split-second before the other, but they did so in such synchronisation that neither could find the time and presence of mind to attempt to steady the other.

Larten felt Darren stumble and tightened his grip as he had done before, but Gavner served as a weight to pull him down, and he found his hand wrenched away from Darren's, who toppled over the edge of the crossing with a panicked yell. For a horrifying, hopeless moment Larten was certain that they had fallen to their deaths. But, fortunately, Harkat had been able to keep his hold on Gavner with his strong arms, and was now lying flat across the ice, keeping him in the air. Darren had mercifully held onto Gavner, and was dangling along with him.

"I've got you! Don't let go!" Gavner shouted down to him helpfully, his face screwed up against the pain of having Harkat tugging on one arm and Darren the other.

"As if I was going to!" Darren yelled back, his voice high with terror. He made the mistake of looking down and went white.

Larten hurried as best he could to stand beside Harkat, who seemed to be holding them easily enough, and crouched down to help.

"Stop moving!" he snapped at Darren, who had tried to get a better grip on Gavner and ended up flailing in the air. "Keep still, we will pull you up."

"I feel like my arms are going to be ripped off," Gavner groaned as Harkat jerked him upwards, causing the two of them to swing painfully. "And I hate heights."

"Darren, stop moving!" Larten furiously called down again as the boy swung from side to side.

"I can't help but move, there's nothing to support myself with!" Darren shouted back in annoyance, kicking his legs in a futile attempt to steady himself and succeeding only in making things worse.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold on for," Gavner gasped, tensing the muscles in his trembling arms. "Doing OK down there, Darren?"

"Dandy!"

Gavner managed to laugh through his obvious discomfort.

In a matter of excruciating moments Gavner was hauled back up by Harkat, followed shortly by Darren. Once safe, Darren buried his head in his knees, taking steadying, gasping breaths. Beside him and lying flat on his front, Gavner looked down at the drop they had faced, and whistled in appreciation of their close call.

"Well, that could have been unfortunate," he commented with raspy chuckle. "If not for Harkat, that would have been it!"

"Yeah," Darren said with a shaky grin, raising his head. "Thanks Harkat, that's twice you've saved my life now!"

"Any...time," the Little Person said with a jagged smile. "Just try not...to make it...three times. It is...very stressful...saving you, you know."

"I'll do my best," Darren laughed. "Seriously, I owe you."

"I have to say, I don't normally trust your kind," Gavner told him, "but you're OK, Mulds. When we get to the mountain, I'll try and make sure they hear you out and see you fairly. If it wasn't for you, we'd be splattered on the rocks below by now."

"Ugh, don't say that," Darren groaned at the thought. Gavner grinned wickedly.

"It's true. We'd have to be scraped off like raspberry jam," he said, then roared with laughter at the sickened look on Darren's face. "Ready to get going again?"

"Can I have a minute? I'm a bit shaky, I don't want to slip again."

"Sure, that's probably a good idea."

"So who...slipped first?" Harkat asked, and Gavner shrugged.

"Not sure." He glanced at Darren, who again had his face in his knees, then back at Harkat and winked. "Probably Darren."

"I did not!" Darren huffed indignantly, his head snapping up. "I was fine until you pulled me down!"

"Please," Gavner teased. "You were like Bambi on the ice up here, sliding all over the place."

"What," Larten spoke up for the first time, before a seething Darren could defend himself, "is Bambi?"

"It's a cartoon baby deer," Gavner explained. Larten continued to look incredulous. "From a film. Called Bambi. It's quite sad actually, the deer's mother dies."

"My sister used to have to close her eyes at that bit," Darren remembered. "Doesn't Bambi go with his father?"

"Yeah. And then-"

"We do not have time to lounge around discussing fictional deer," Larten interrupted curtly. "We must continue if we are to reach shelter before sunrise."

"Killjoy," Gavner sniffed, but his smirk betrayed him. He struggled into a standing position, being careful not to overbalance. "Come on then, Harkat, Bambi."

"I am _not_ Bambi!" Darren whined. "If I'm Bambi, then you're...you're..."

"What?"

Darren scowled, looking extremely peeved. "I can't think of anything right now, but when I do it won't be good."

"I'm terrified," Gavner laughed. "Come on then, let's reform the chain before Larten explodes."

Larten would never do anything so undignified as to explode, but he had certainly became very edgy while Darren and Gavner bickered, his mouth thinning dangerously.

There was only a short stretch left, but given the dangerous footing and increased wariness, it took almost fifteen minutes to reach stable ground. Darren was doing his best to move smoothly in defiance of the Bambi comment, and whenever he heard Gavner scuffle behind him he would glance back smugly, often causing him to then trip himself.

When they at last completed the crossing, Larten breathed a sigh of relief. It was ironic that not too long ago he would have happily pitched the two Little People over the edge of the mountain, and they had then gone on to save both Gavner and Darren's lives. Harkat was also the only one behaving in a manner that didn't make Larten wish he had never attempted the journey.

"I counted, and you slipped five times and I only slipped twice."

"Ah, but that was only on that last little bit."

"It's still true!"

"And you had me and Larten holding you up, and I only had Harkat and you. You're not as strong, so I slipped more easily."

"That's a rubbish excuse! And I'm not that weak! I killed a bear!"

"You had help."

"But-"

"You are both woefully incompetent!" Larten cut in snappishly, putting a stop to their arguing. "Now be quiet. You are giving me a headache."

"Harsh," Darren muttered, but wisely shut up.

Larten was enjoying the silence, until he was met with the unwelcome sight of a cave in directly the way they were supposed to go. After inspecting it, Gavner informed a worried Darren that they would just have to go back the way they came and find another tunnel.

If he had said 'we'll have to jump into a volcano' Larten would have worn the same expression of dread.

* * *

Finally, they reached the mountain.

Larten had immediately taken the opportunity to have separate rooms, and was looking forward to an undisturbed day in relative comfort. Although Darren had seemed slightly nervous, he had Harkat for company, who had proved himself a worthy companion on their travels.

He himself had been nervous about returning, but despite catching a few vampires staring, he found that he had bigger things to be concerned with. With the looming threat of vampaneze Lord, their scorn or curiosity was unimportant in comparison.

Seba hadn't asked him about his reasons for leaving, or even about his other assistant. Larten suspected that this was because he already knew, but didn't bring up the topic himself to see if he was correct.

The older vampire had walked him to his chambers in silence, and Larten found that now he was in the mountain his troubles seemed to have gained more weight now that judgement was imminent. His tired mind was buzzing with thoughts of the vampaneze, Desmond Tiny, Wester, Darren's fate and his own.

It didn't surprise him that Seba seemed to understand this. When they reached his cell, Seba gave Larten a single squeeze on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. That was it. And that was enough.

Alone in his cell, Larten was suddenly overcome by exhaustion that had been building over weeks. The journey had been difficult, as he had known it would be, but they had made it. Despite the questions ahead, Larten felt a peculiar feeling of happiness, a thing that he rarely seemed to feel anymore. He thought of Seba, Gavner and Arra, of the halls and the clan with pride. He felt comfortable at the Cirque, but this was where he belonged, and where Darren belonged. He didn't know if he would come to love it as much as he did-Darren had a natural way of being contrary-but it was something. In a world of humans, a world that Larten had taken Darren from, it can be lonely for a vampire. He had, at least, got this much to offer. In dragging him up a mountain, through snowdrifts and fierce winds, he had taken him to the closest thing to family one of their kind could get. And in that moment in the mountain, surrounded by his people, before the fragile walls of his life collapsed around him, Larten felt that even the vampaneze Lord would struggle to shake them.


End file.
